What is the difference between Adderall and Dextroamphetamine?

My Dr. prescribed me Dextroamphetamine, but I thought he said it was Adderall. I have recently been diagnosed with Adult ADHD and it runs in my family, so I informed him of what medication they recommended worked for them. After looking it up, it seems to be a different medication. I feel like it is helping, but I want to find the right medication?

Answers (2)

Anonymous

24 May 2010

That is what is in the adderall yes it is adderall the dextroamphetamine is the generic name for it. My son takes the same medication and if you read the information that comes with the prescription it says on there that it is the active ingredients in the medication.

Adderall is was a brand name of mixed amphetamine salts in pill form, and is instant release. It was made by Shire Pharmaceuticals in the mid 1990's. They have stopped making the brand name of this drug, called Adderall recently. However, when their copyright expired, about four generic drug companies produced a generic version of Adderall, or 'mixed amphetamine salts'. Adderall, or now it's generic "mixed amphetamine salts" contains a mixture of d-amphetamine (or Dextroamphetamine) salts and l-amphetamine (or Levoamphetamine salts). Chemically l-amphetamine is the mirror image of d-amphetamine, in that if you put Dextroampetamine in a mirror it's chemical structure, or bond at one point would be on the opposite side of Dextroamphetamine. Dextroamphetamine consists of only one amphetamine salt (d-amphetamine), as opposed to two different salts such as in generic Adderall.

The difference between the two really depends upon the individual, as it varies from person to person. Dextroamphetamine is proported to be a quicker acting, more centrally brain activating, but of shorter duration than the mixed salts of version (Adderall). Some people claim that l-amphetamine is less centrally brain activiating, and may increase blood pressure and heart rate more than Dextroamphetamine. I have tried both, and this may be the case, slightly for me. However, I do not find Dextroamphetamine more euphoric (if any at all) or more centrally activating within the brain than Adderall. However, people differ, and have very different, and even opposite reactions to each drug. You should try both out with your M.D. is he allows it. There has been a bad stigma, due to abuse by both of these drugs, and for some reason Dextroamphetamine has traditional had more of a bad rap (as being more addictive) than Adderall. So many doctors won't even prescribe Dextroamphetamine (brand name is Dexedrine). Both Dextroamphetamine, and the instant release generic version of Adderall come in time release capsules as well. The original manufacturer of Adderall still makes Adderall-XR (xtd release) and I believe Dextrostat is the brand name for the extended release version of Dextroamphetamine (brand name Dexedrine). I believe the Adderall-XR is expensive if you don't have insurance, because it is still protected by copyright and there are no current generics allowed on the market. There are also ADD/ADHD drugs, that are less Centrall and Peripherally acting like Ritalin (and it's generic) and the extended release version of Ritalin, called Concerta. These consists of a chemical that acts similar to, and is chemically related to the amphetamine group. Lastly, Vyvanase came out several years ago. It acts like a pro-hormone, in that it is not an amphetamine, but your body converts it through enzymes into an amphetamine. So it is less strong, and has less addictive potential. Plus it is sold only in time release version. Finally, there is brand name Methoxyn (Methamphetamine). Yes, Methamphetamine. However, there are no additives, or other ingredients mixed in like the street drugs. The Methyl- part that is added (thus "Meth"amphetamine) crosses the blood brain barrier easier than Dextroamphetamine and Levoamphetamine. I tried it long ago, and it did absolutely nothing for me though. It is very rarely prescribed due to Methamphetamine being all over the news.

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